FRANCE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 599, 31 July 1858, Page 4

FRANCE.

The ' Univers' is terribly angry with England for the acquittal of Bernard. It sajrs— "An English jury has acquitted Simon Bernard. The English people have saluted with hurrahs the crowning act of the proceeding. The English judges, though compelled tb retain the accused, have, as far as they could, associated themselves with the scandal of his acquittal, by admitting him to bail. It is all complete, and its is all disgusting. Nothing is wanting. While the trial was proceeding, Mazzini published a pamphlet, which was copied by several papers, and in which insolence and insults against the Emperor exceeded the most revolting language which the refugees ever previously issued. If the English Government did not wish for this result, the * Times' it is that rules public opinion. If it wished for such a result, in that case the' Times' has been the organ of its ideas. In either case Prance is enlightened as to the real feelings of England. As we neither answer for, nor are the champions of modern civilization in general, and of English civilization in particular, we have nothing more to say. Between two powerful and friendly nations arises a discussion of what may be called the question of assassins— one of these two nations decides the question to the detriment of the other, and in favour of the assassins. This is the last feature and one of the most remarkable of European policy in the 19th century. Let us be candid, and add that in the real position of affairs, the infamous cheers of the London pratorium appear to us far preferable to the dull compliments with which the Municipal Council of Dover fatigued the frankness of the Duke of Malakoff on the previous day. In their display of loyalty these compliments were no doubt very English, but the cheers raised in Iriumph for Simon Bernard were the heart of England herself." The 'Constitutionel' contains an article signed by M. Renee, the director, in which it says :—" No honest man in Prance or England can doubt the guilt of Bernard. We will only say to those of our neighbours who desire the maintenance of good relations between the two countries, that if the speech of Mr. Edwin James, filled with gall, with calumnies, and with insults against the Emperor, the people, the army, and our institutions, should unfortunately be circulated in Prance, in the cities, the bar-' racks, and the country towns, it would be difficult for the Government, with the best intentions, to stay the effects of public indignation." The ' Patrie'. publishes an article, headed "Of the Acquittal of Bernard." It begins by saying that the verdict of the English jury in the case of Bernard, has produced in Prance an emotion too legitimate for anybody to think it necessary to justify it. .'" The emotion," it adds, "proves the morality of public opinion in France, and the devotedness of the "country to the Sovereign who restored -it to order and glory." It then alludes to the cheers that greeted Bernard's acquittal, and observes, " that if the English Government, or the English people, could be identified with the odious sentiments developed during the trial, they would deserve to be declared out of the pale of civilization, but that nobody can entertain the idea of confounding an enlightened nation like England with the ignoble faction which has transformed the friend of an assassin into a hero." The ' Times' correspondent at Paris writes as follows under date 22nd April:—"When noticing the very offensive article in the ' Constitutionef' of Tuesday, on the acquittal of Simon Bernard— an article, which, by the way, was regarded as a sort of pendant to the famous military addresses of the ' Moniteur'—l declared my belief that M. Renee, whose name was signed to it. had not the authority either of the EmperOr or of the Cabinet collectively for what he did. That I was correct in this seems proved from the fact that M. Renee has been dismissed from the post of political director of the • Constitutionel'and 'Pays ' both of which belong to the same proprietor, and I am assured that the cause olthe dismissal is the article in question. The fall of M. Renee is broken by an indemnity of 50,000 francs which it appears every political director of the paper has a right to in case of a removal so sudden as the present. It is said that an article irom the pen of the well-known writer M Granier de Cassagnac, will appear to-morrow or the day after in the same journal, with a view to cast oil on the troubled waters. An imperfect and hardly satisfactory attempt of the kind was made last night with the same view; but I know the intention of the writer was good, and am willing so far to accept the will for the deed

The delay experienced in the meetW of „ Paris Conference, which is not to assemble c the beginning of June, has been causpfl k Until fact of the Powers who are to be rllt hy the there having determined first to come to ed derstan'ding as to the principles of the smY Un* to be discussed. lam informed that thevi s agreed as to the system to be adopted with c pect to the Principalities. This question i B «8 * only one which is so far advanced. The TVr ter.of Marihe.has ordered that the shin nfl?* line Louis IV; shall be attached to the T 1 fleet. This will increase the number of tlif>°fl to fourteen, and it is to be, further increaLn fifteen. Last year the Chamber of Com me^ tto0 o Lyons appointed a commission to eximi„ ,5 Manchester Pine Arts Exhibition in its re?V ,c to Lyons manufactures. After the - commit • n which was composed of three of the' most p °"' ent men connected with the trade of 'that -l' 1" had presented their report, the ] Chamber of r y' merce adopted resolutions to theeffect that 'F~ expedient for the Government to remove v existing duties on the raw material emplovp'rl • their manufactures, and oh thread of every Id 'f especially woollen and cotton thread used in ti manufacture of mixed silks. These resolut have been presented to the Minister of Afirir- 0I| S ture and Commerce. ' 1_ The Emperor has completed his 50th vpi* having been born at the Tuileries on the ontu April, 1808. "uttl It is said that additional police agents are 11 pointed at one of the stations of the Norther " Railway near Paris, for greater efficiency in c v amming the passports of persons coming bvthat line to Paris. The same has been done at Calais Boulogne, and other ports on the coast. Various excursions are projected by the Em peror to take place in the course of the summer" —to liennes, to Laval, &c, besides that to the camp at Chalons. It is believed, also, that an invitation will be given to the Queen to attend the grand maritime fetes to take place at Cherbourg in July.